Dharamveer Singh Chouhan & Zo World: Building the Future of Travel on Web3

Dharamveer Singh Chouhan, a serial entrepreneur with a history of disrupting industries, is now charting a new course with Zo World, aiming to build a decentralized global travel ecosystem powered by Web3. His journey, marked by ventures like Zostel and early tech explorations, offers fascinating insights into community building, innovation, and the future of connection in both the physical and digital realms. 

Sri Misra, Founder of aarna protocol recently had the chance to sit down with Dharamveer for an in-depth conversation on the alpha un# podcast. Hear Dharamveer share his story and vision firsthand – dive into the full episode for deeper insights! unhashed.co/dv

The Making of a Serial Entrepreneur

Dharamveer Singh Chouhan's entrepreneurial path began early. Armed with a B.Tech from IIT (BHU) Varanasi and an MBA from IIM Calcutta, his curiosity led him into the tech world. He holds the distinction of being the youngest Game Designer at Zynga pre-IPO in 2011. Even before that, he founded Bright Ants Studio Private Limited, focusing on social cricket games like https://www.google.com/search?q=Iplcricketgame.com and Battle T20. While this early venture faced monetization challenges, it provided invaluable lessons. 

"I'm a very curious nerd who has learned that you can basically learn and do anything if you're ready to learn."

Revolutionizing Backpacker Travel: The Zostel Era

In 2013, Dharamveer co-founded Zostel. Recognizing a gap in the market for safe, vibrant, and community-focused accommodation for young travelers, Zostel grew into the world's largest backpacker hostel chain. It pioneered social stays and made shared dorms, even for women, a mainstream concept in many regions. Zostel wasn't just about beds; it was about fostering a community for solo travelers seeking connection and truth – embodying the motto "Live it now."

"We at Zostel, what worked for us was the... traveler community, let's say, the solo trips, you know, who are themselves seeking truth... people who are following their heart..."

The Zostel model evolved into a decentralized structure, run by local entrepreneurs. Today, Zostel works with approximately 75 franchisee partners who understand their local regions, while Zostel provides the brand, standards, and network support. Dharamveer spent nearly half a decade running properties himself before standardizing operations.

Bridging Worlds: From Zostel to Zo World

Leveraging the community-building expertise honed at Zostel, Dharamveer ventured into Web3 with Zo World in April 2021, co-founded with Chetan Singh Chauhan. The vision? To build a global travel ecosystem centered around local communities, fundamentally enhanced by Web3, crypto, and NFTs.

"We like to believe that... it's a whole reality in which... there are thousands of Zo World stars and you have a local friend in the Zo World ecosystem anywhere and everywhere you go."

Dharamveer sees Web3 not just as a technology but as a foundational shift, similar to the internet, that will permeate all industries. He believes building a modern global brand necessitates community ownership, a principle deeply embedded in Zo World's structure.

Inside Zo World: A Decentralized Travel Ecosystem

Zo World is building a multi-faceted ecosystem:

• Zo House: These are exclusive, physical clubhouses acting as the "temples" of the community. Designed as a 'third place' beyond home and office, they cater to tech-savvy builders and creators comfortable with AI, VR, and AR. They offer high-end living with smart furniture, workstations, gaming, and event spaces, fostering connections and even incubation for new projects.

• Zo Studio: A creative hub enabling artists to ideate, produce, and distribute their work within a supportive Web3 framework.

• Founders of Zo World NFTs: More than just digital art, these NFTs represent top-tier membership and act as access keys to Zo Houses. With around 1100 minted and approximately 500 holders, these NFTs signify co-ownership in the Zo World vision. Dharamveer views holders not just as investors but as "fellow co-founders for the vision."

• $ZO Token: Integrated even into the Zostel app (where users get a "Citizen of Zo World" NFT passport upon registration), the $ZO token (minted on Base) functions as a loyalty and incentive mechanism within the ecosystem. It acknowledges contributions, rewarding users for activities like traveling within the network or attending events, aiming to convert community love into tangible value. Close to 100,000 users might have received these initial loyalty tokens.

"We are looking to give these tokens and we look at it like a decade-long journey... acknowledge those who are contributing in the Zo World ecosystem... like a loyalty within the ecosystem rather than a pump and a dump..."

The IRL Hubs: Zo House Bangalore & San Francisco

Zo World translates its digital vision into vibrant physical spaces. Following the success of the MVP in Bangalore (including one in Whitefield), Zo World launched a flagship Zo House in downtown San Francisco at 304th Street. Despite launching when many were leaving SF, Dharamveer and his team saw an opportunity.

"I'm very proud to say that we are the hottest, leave-alone-Web3 tech clubhouse today, even in San Francisco... We are at 304th Street. We are bang in downtown. We have the best community, whether it comes to AI or VR."

The SF Zo House is a 24/7 space hosting multiple events daily, attracting builders across AI, Web3, and VR. It features unique decor like 20-foot Bitcoin white papers and prominent NFT art displays, humanizing technology and making the "nerd cool." Each Zo House even has its own personified digital presence (like @SFOXO on Twitter), engaging with the community directly.

Numbers That Talk: Zo World's Traction

Zo World has demonstrated tangible progress:

• Revenue: Reported $2.26 million in annual revenue as of March 31, 2024.

• Funding: Raised an undisclosed seed round in June 2021 from notable investors including Blume Ventures, Marwari Catalysts, and angel investor Ravish Naresh.

• NFT Performance: The "Founders of ZoWorld" NFT collection saw phased launches starting at 0.01 ETH, reaching price points of 0.08 ETH, 0.25 ETH, and 1.11 ETH. It peaked at 2 ETH and currently trades around 0.8-0.9 ETH, representing a market cap exceeding $1 million even in a down market. Dharamveer celebrated hitting the >1 ETH mark as a proud moment, validating the creation of a valuable digital asset class.

The Road Ahead: A Multi-Decade Vision

Dharamveer views Zo World as a long-term, multi-decade project. The goal is to create a flywheel where the intangible value of community connection is converted into tangible $ZO value, which is then reinvested back into the community, empowering members to build the Zo World network themselves across the globe. The core mission remains: connecting humanity and helping people realize "we are much more alike than different."

Founder's Philosophy: Building Authentic Communities

For aspiring founders, especially in Web3, Dharamveer emphasizes authenticity and persistence:

1. Be Real: "You can't fake it a lot... You have to be a part of what you are selling. You have to live it, breathe it." He practiced this by living in Zo House for a year and running Zostels himself initially.

2. Show Up Consistently: "Community is what you do every day... It's about showing every day and then building that trust slowly with the community."

3. Leverage Synergies: Connect and collaborate with other communities that share similar principles.

"There's no shortcut... it's been a decade now [since starting Zostel]... even with Zo House it's been three years... be prepared for the grind."

Dharamveer Singh Chouhan's journey from reshaping hospitality with Zostel to pioneering a Web3-powered travel ecosystem with Zo World is a compelling narrative of innovation, community focus, and long-term vision. By integrating physical spaces with blockchain technology, NFTs, and a dedicated token, Zo World is not just building a platform but nurturing a global network where travel becomes a shared, rewarding experience, driven by its own members. It’s a bold experiment in building a decentralized brand for the 21st century.